If I Break THE COMPLETE SERIES Bundle (166 page)

She lets out a gruff sigh and shakes her head. “He can stay at Will’s. That’s the best I can do,” she says with a huff.

I feel myself turning red. “He can’t stay at Will’s. Will hates him.”

She looks perplexed. “Why would Will hate him? Has he ever even met Zach?”

“No, it’s just… maybe some of the things Will knows about him,” I say guiltily.

She squints at me, and for a moment, I swear she sees through me, right into my guilty little soul, that she sees every thought I’ve had about her boyfriend, and she’s going to haul back and slap me into tomorrow. Actually no, Gia’s not like that, but she’d have every right. But she just shrugs, and I relax.

“I’ll call Will and set everything up. We can all have dinner over there tonight,” she says, and before I can answer, she storms out the room.

Ugh!
I go back out, and Zach’s sitting with his feet up on her coffee table. Gia would
love
that. I knock them off.

“What’s your problem?” He chuckles.

“Apparently I’m still sixteen and need permission for boys to come into my room,” I say sarcastically.

He laughs, a deep chuckle that I’ve missed, then he rubs the top of my head, making my hair look crazy.

“Stop being a brat,” he says as I push him away.

“How am I being a brat? I live here. I’d like my friend, you, to stay, and she won’t let you. I might as well be living back at home, asking permission for things.”

Zach is calm as ever. “Well, I kinda am some strange guy she doesn’t know, and she probably knows that if I stay, we’re going to make out, and I’m pretty sure your check is as pathetic as mine and can’t pay even one utility bill, meaning big sis is still in charge.”

I pout. I hate when he makes sense. “It’s still not fair.”

“I got a couple of bucks to stay at a motel—a really bad one.” He chuckles.

“Oh no, she’s going to get Will to let you stay at his place,” I say bitterly.

“Cool, more money for us to party tonight,” he says with a nudge and mischievous smile.

My eyes widen in excitement. Lord knows I need to let loose a little. Before I can ask him about it, Gia’s back in the room.

“Okay, Zach, if you don’t mind, my boyfriend would love for you to stay at his place. I was thinking we can all have dinner there, then you and Gwen can have the whole day together after she gets off work,” Gia says brightly.

I roll my eyes.

Zach only says, “Cool.”

I’ve only been to Will’s house once, and it was brief. Gia had left a book she needed, and we stopped to pick it up on our way home from work, and I had to go to the bathroom. Will’s house is closer to the city than Gia’s, and it’s in a big apartment building with five floors and a doorman.

“Classy,” Zach whispers into my ear as Gia greets the doorman by name.

“Can you try to be nice?” I whisper as we walk a few feet behind Gia.

“I’m always on my best behavior,” he says sarcastically.

I eye him, calling him out on his BS. His eyebrow arches.

“What do you care about my behavior? You didn’t even care what impression I made on your mom,” he says suspiciously.

I avoid his questioning glare.

“Come on, guys,” Gia says as she holds open the elevator.

When we make it to Will’s floor, we see his door is already open. We walk in, and Gia calls his name while shutting the door.

“This is kick ass,” Zach says as he looks around the apartment.

Being at Will’s apartment is the only time I’m reminded that Will does indeed come from money. He has a big screen TV and a pool table. His kitchen is bigger than Gia’s, and he even has a dining room.

He appears from his bedroom, his hair wet. He must have just gotten out of the shower. He has on a short-sleeved T-shirt that clings to him, revealing his sculpted arms and giving me a better view of the tattoo on his arm—it’s a moon with clouds around it. I’ve seen pieces of it, but this is the most revealing look yet. My eyes run over his stomach. I think he may have six-pack underneath that shirt, and I feel my body temperature rise.

“Hey, guys.” Will’s eyes drift over to Zach, and he gives him a once-over.

Gia gives him a quick kiss on the cheek. “This is Gwen’s friend Zach.”

I hate that she didn’t let me introduce him. She heads to the kitchen to put the food on the table as Will approaches Zach and me. He gives us a tight smile and sticks out his hand. Zach gives him a tense handshake.

“What’s up?” Zach says nonchalantly.

For some reason, it seems as if there’s tension between them. Zach wears his smug grin, and Will gives him an “I call bullshit” glare. These two will be awesome roommates.

As we sit at the table and eat, the room is quiet and seems a little chilly. Zach and Will’s attitudes toward each other haven’t changed, and I’m still sort of pissed at Gia, who seems oblivious or just doesn’t care. Will and I have exchanged a few glances, and I feel annoyance and disapproval radiating from him.

“So, Zach, are you in school?” Gia asks, trying to strike up a conversation.

“Nah, school’s not for me. I only finished high school because my parents would have kicked me out if I didn’t,” he says before putting a spoonful of mashed potatoes in his mouth.

“So what’re your plans going forward?” she asks.

Zach shrugs. “I like to take things as they come.”

If Zach was my boyfriend and I cared about things like impressing people, I’d be absolutely mortified, but since he’s my friend and I couldn’t care less what Gia thinks, I’m not as uncomfortable as I could be.

“Oh.” Gia sounds a little puzzled. Anyone who doesn’t have their entire future mapped out is puzzling to her.

“So you guys getting married?” Zach asks, looking at her engagement or promise ring. Leave it to Zach to ask the most awkward question in the room.

“The date isn’t exactly set as of yet,” I answer for Gia since she’s been answering for me all night.

“So you and Gwen are just friends?” Will asks, sarcasm evident in his voice.

I feel my stomach flip. What the hell is he doing?

“Really
good
friends,” Zach says, his eyes narrowing on Will with a teasing smirk.

Will’s jaw clenches. Zach has a way of reading people and homing in on the one thing that grates on their nerve. I have no idea why he’s choosing to grate on the nerves of the guy he’s staying with, but I shoot Will a glare to drop it.

“These pork chops are amazing, Gwen,” Gia interrupts.

“Yeah, brat, you can really cook. I thought you just made good brownies,” Zach says.

I can’t help but laugh. Will’s face is hard like stone…
geesh
.

“I love her brownies. They are so good,” Gia says, clueless.

“Yeah, Gwen’s brownies are special,” Zach says again, smirking at me.

“Cool it. Nobody’s stupid here,” Will says, his tone cold. He’s staring at Zach, who raises his hands in a truce with a laugh.

“What? I don’t get it,” Gia asks.

“He’s talking about brownies with pot, Gia,” Will says, exasperated.

Gia’s eyes widen before she frowns at me disapprovingly.

“Hey, she hasn’t touched anything in a long time. Besides it’s all natural…” Zach goes into the history of pot and the real reasons why it was banned and all the politics involved.

I can recite his argument by heart I’ve heard it so many times. It’s one thing he’s passionate about, and Gia listens intently and seems impressed. He’s pretty articulate when he wants to be.

“Well, at least you’re well-informed.” Gia smiles, and I can see her view of him change.

Will rolls his eyes. “Excuse me.” He gets up and heads into the kitchen.

I excuse myself as well. Will’s in the kitchen, drinking a pop near the fridge.

“Hey, what’s your problem?” I ask.

He glares at me, a look I’ve never seen before. He looks angry. His cheeks are flushed and his eyes narrowed. “That’s your best friend—a smug little druggie?”

I squint at him. “Wow, I can’t believe what an ass you’re being. You don’t even know him.”

“I know enough. He’s not good enough for you,” he says a little too loudly.

I look at him in disbelief. “Are you serious right now? He’s not coming here with a marriage proposal. He’s my friend, someone I care about, and don’t ever say anything that rude about him again or we won’t be friends,” I say sharply before turning around to leave.

He grabs my hand, and my stomach flips. He turns me toward him. I look up at him, nerves in the pit of my stomach, and his expression softens.

“I’m sorry,” he says with puppy dog eyes.

I look at his hand holding mine, and our eyes lock. He steps closer to me, and my heart skips a beat. My entire body tingles, and my breathing slows down. Does he feel this? Is it not just me? When his eyes drift from my eyes down to my lips and he licks his, I feel as if I’m going to pass out. But then he lets my hand go, and the look I thought I saw in the eye is gone.

“I’ll be better,” he says quietly before leaving me in the kitchen with my heart dropped to the floor.

Back at the table, Will does do better, his ice-cold demeanor melted. He’s more involved in the dinner conversation, but I’m silent. My heart has gone from the floor to my throat, my thoughts still on what transpired in the kitchen. Will and Zach have found a common interest in the class system in the country…and on farming of all things. It turns out that Will’s uncle, his mother’s brother, had a farm, and the summer he stayed with him was one of the best summers of his life. Zach’s biological dad has a farm, and he talks about how peaceful it is and how fulfilling the work is.

Gia looks on as if they have ten heads growing out of their shoulders. “I can’t see why anyone would ever want to do that. You guys are on your own.” She laughs.

Zach shrugs with a grin. “It’s not for everyone, but don’t knock it until you try it.”

She shakes her head. “Nah, not for me. The animals, the crappy pay, living in the middle of nowhere?”

I wonder if she sees the disappointment in her future—well, possible future—fiancé’s face. My thoughts drift back to that night Will dropped me off at my parents’ and how he asked me about Gia living on a farm.

“So, Zach, what’s the plan tonight?” I ask, wanting to change the subject.

“I’ve got us tickets to this after-party a band’s having,” Zach says, and my eyes widen.

“Really! That’s so cool,” I say, excited.

“What time is the party? It’s already kind of late,” Gia asks.

I shoot her a “don’t embarrass me” glare.

“Well, it starts at ten. That gives us, like, an hour to get there. It’s in Wicker Park,” he says.

“That’s not too far from here. I can drop them off,” Will says, and I shoot him a half smile.

“I guess… what time would you guys be back?” Gia asks as I start clearing the table.

“I won’t keep her out long. Like around one,” he says, and Gia frowns a little. “Or twelve.” Zach chuckles.

I stop midway to the kitchen. “One is fine. Gia knows I’m eighteen now—nineteen in a couple of months—and she wouldn’t do anything as embarrassing as trying to give me a curfew knowing what a disastrous and unnecessary argument we would have if she did,” I say in a cheerfully sarcastic tone.